Guardian of Six Paths
by Hybrid Genesis
Summary: Naruto's role in the world has been given to a different soul. A more competent soul that won't waste his near limitless potential. A soul that becomes aware of his unending desire to protect the people he loves early on. "I may not have chosen this path of mine, but whether or not my life is predestined...I WILL PROTECT!"


"**Demon/Boss Summon Talking, Technique"**

'_**Demon/Boss Summon Thinking'**_

'_Normal Thinking'_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, and for that I'm sorry.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Birth Of A Guardian**

"**Reaper Death Seal!**" Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, and Yellow Flash of Konohagakure no Sato, was currently standing down the Kyuubi no Yoko. At his back was his wife, Kushina Uzumaki, heiress of the all but extinct Uzumaki clan, and Red Death of Konoha, along with their newborn son whom they had decided (Kushina decided) to name Azdin.

Azdin had pale blond hair, his father's facial structure that was hidden under his baby fat, and pale skin. What was strange was the prominent whisker marks on his face, three on each cheek, which he had received from being born from the previous Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, his mother. There was also a seal written on his stomach, an Eight Signed Sealing that was reminiscent of a sun.

The Shinigami wrapped its hand in prayer beads before it was covered in complex seal and reached through Minato's stomach to latch onto the Kyuubi's essence. The Shinigami then reeled its arm back and pulled the Kyuubi through Minato in the form of Chakra into Azdin's sleeping form. Rather than seal half of the Kyuubi in Azdin as Minato had intended earlier, Kushina had convinced him that Azdin could handle all of the Kyuubi's Chakra.

"Kushina, I'm going to seal the last of our Chakra into Azdin so we can help him later on, but it's going to be a while before we see him again. Tell him what only you can, as his mother", Minato said tiredly.

Kushina nodded with matching exhaustion and smiled down on Azdin. "Well this is it, listen up." As if on command the infant's sapphire blue eyes drifted open that seemed to literally glow in the night. "Don't eat ramen all the time like your mom; it'll stunt your growth. Get your rest when it's appropriate but don't sleep in or during a mission. Train as hard as you can, and be the strongest Shinobi out there. Take up a bunch of different arts so you're always prepared. At some point you'll start to notice girls and that's alright, just try to find someone you can respect and is strong like your mom okay? You're the heir of the Uzumaki clan so you might have to end up with a few girls, but just make sure you love all of them. Read a lot and study hard so you have a sharp mind like your father. Try to make some friends too, not a lot but people you can trust. Lastly, stay away from perverts like Jiraiya, he'll corrupt you."

Minato decided to get his own words in before they ran out of time. "As for me Azdin, I just want to say that nothing is more important than protecting those precious to you, and no matter what, we believe in you."

Azdin wasn't capable of understanding what they were saying yet but the messages were burned into his subconscious to be followed later in life. Right now the only thing he understood was that he wanted to grab his mother's shiny red hair.

His parents nodded to each other one last time before Minato sealed their Chakra into Azdin's seal.

"**Eight Signed Seal**", he muttered before his and Kushina's Chakra flowed into Azdin and they passed on.

Hiruzen Sarutobi later found the clearing along with some Anbu. Hiruzen lifted the now crying infant from the ritual alter and looked at the corpses of his parents with sorrow.

"We've lost so much on this night. *Sigh* Inu, Neko, bring their bodies to the Hospital, I'll take care of Azdin." The two Anbu nodded, though Inu, or rather Kakashi Hatake, felt immense pain at seeing his former sensei's corpse.

Hiruzen offered a sad smile to the orphan in his arms. "I suppose you have a difficult road ahead my boy. I'll do everything I can to help you though, I owe your father that much."

**[Time Skip: 6 Years Later]**

Azdin was currently sitting on a couch in the Third Hokage's office with a fairly thick book in his hands. His hair had obviously grown out since he was an infant, becoming a golden spiky mane with bangs that hung in his face **(A/N: Think Cloud Strife's hair from FF7 Advent Children)**. His eyes had still retained their unearthly glow but lacked the energy and life a child should be brimming with as his eyelids were always descended half way **(A/N: Think Ichigo in his final fight with Aizen)**. His clothes consisted of a black pair of pants, a white shirt with a red Uzumaki spiral on the back, and a pair of black sandals.

The book in Azdin's hands was on intermediate Fuuinjutsu, a very complex art that most shinobi neglect because of said complexity. Azdin, as both an Uzumaki, and the son of Minato Namikaze(Whether he knew it or not) had immediately become infatuated with the art when Hiruzen had given him a beginners book on the subject as a hunch, and had immersed himself on the subject since then. Of course since he had not been given the knowledge or permission to activate his Chakra from Hiruzen he could not put his knowledge into practice without the old monkey's assistance. But as today marked the sixth anniversary of his birth, Hiruzen had promised to give him the tools to begin his training as a shinobi.

He would also be enrolling in the Academy this year according to Hiruzen. Azdin wasn't quite sure how he felt about that yet as he felt he could learn more on his own with the books that Hiruzen would provide him with, but the old Hokage had insisted that he should study among children his own age and make friends.

Unfortunately Azdin wasn't the best equipped to make friends. Ever since he could talk he had preferred not to as a way to survive. He had been ostracized by the village as far back as he could remember aside from a select few, making him less than willing to trust people at times. More often than not he'd find himself chased away by angry mobs in the streets, or at the wrong end of a beating when he was caught, hence why he tried to hang around in the Hokage's office as much as he could to stay safe. Since today was his birthday he had made doubly sure to remain here at all costs as the Festival of the Kyuubi took place outside. When he thought about what had transpired last year an image of flames flashed across his vision, making him stiffen for an instant before he continued to flip through his book at an impressive rate.

He had always believed in the saying that knowledge is power, and had always enjoyed reading in the pursuit of said knowledge. The books he read were often on the Elemental Nation's history, Chakra, its uses and all recorded natural affinities, all recorded forms of Kekkai Genkai, books on tactics and strategy, and of course Fuuinjutsu. Considering his age while reading such advanced subjects, most would consider him a genius.

His focus on the book was broken as the door to the Hokage's office opened. A small smile broke out on Azdin's face when he saw it was none other than Itachi Uchiha. Hiruzen had given Itachi the mission of keeping tabs on Azdin to ensure his safety a few years back. After Hiruzen had given Azdin a small apartment he had told Itachi he didn't need to look after Azdin anymore, but Azdin had grown on the Uchiha so he still watched over him now and again.

Itachi noticed Azdin on the couch and mirrored his smile before bowing to the Hokage. "Hokage-sama, I'm here to bring Azdin to my house so that I may introduce him to my siblings with your permission."

Hiruzen smiled at the idea and gave an affirmative nod. "Go right ahead my boy", he said before reaching into a drawer in his desk and pulling out a scroll. He turned towards Azdin with a serious expression. "Azdin, as promised now that you've reached the age of six, I've prepared a training regimen in which you will unlock your Chakra, train your body as well as your control of said chakra, and learn certain techniques that Itachi must unlock for you to gain access which he will based on your performance." Azdin smiled largely upon hearing this while taking the offered scroll with anticipation before bowing to the old monkey in thanks. Hiruzen smiled softly at the blond and scratched the top of his head. "Happy Birthday Azdin…"

Itachi bowed to Hiruzen once more and began walking away. "Let's start heading to my home Azdin, I think my mother will be happy to meet you as well." Azdin jogged after the older boy with his smile still in place.

* * *

Itachi walked through the front door to his house with Azdin close on his heels. A young woman that Azdin assumed was Itachi's mother, Mikoto Uchiha, walked up to meet them at the door with a smile.

"Welcome home Itachi, it seems you have a passenger." It wasn't until said passenger walked out from behind and politely bowed that she realized just who was in her house, resulting in her eyes nearly popping out of her head in shock.

Mikoto had been best friends with Kushina when she had been alive. As a result she knew about Kushina's betrothal to Minato as well as the baby they were expecting. When the Third Hokage had announced that Azdin contained the Kyuubi she had instantly recognized Minato's features on the child and realized just who his parents were. She had spoken with the Third to confirm her suspicions and request that she look after the boy soon after the announcement, but Hiruzen had only told her that while she was right about his parentage, he could not give her custody of him. However after some debate later on when Itachi had joined Anbu, Hiruzen allowed Itachi to watch over him as a D-rank mission with B-rank pay, much to her joy. Since then, Itachi would give her detailed reports about his health. To see the boy in her house for the first time however was something she hadn't prepared for.

"I'm Azdin Uzumaki, it's nice to meet you", the blond said as he bowed. When Mikoto heard his voice she broke from her train of thought and smiled at the child before returning his bow.

"What a polite young man you are. My name is Mikoto Uchiha, I'm Itachi's mother." Azdin nodded having already assumed so.

"Mother I hope you don't mind, but I was hoping to have him meet my siblings", Itachi said with his usual dispassionate tone. Mikoto clapped her hands together in response with a beaming smile.

"That's a wonderful idea, I'm sure they'll get along splendidly." Mikoto was surprised that Itachi had thought to introduce Azdin to her other kids before she did, but seeing Itachi's rare displays of kindness is always refreshing to the Uchiha matriarch. Though she supposed that she was concerned with how her second son, Sasuke, would react towards the boy. The boy had taken after his father since birth with his stereotypical Uchiha mentality. He honestly believed that the Uchiha were elites among elites at birth as if they were some kind of alpha species and all others were ants in comparison. "They should be in the backyard playing."

Itachi nodded and smiled down on Azdin slightly. "Come along Azdin, it's time you met my siblings", he said before taking the child's hand and guiding him to the backyard. Mikoto stared at their retreating figures with a soft expression.

"He's grown into a fine boy, Kushina."

* * *

Azdin reached the backyard with Itachi trailing behind. As soon as he saw outside the doorway he saw two children running around in the grass. One of the children didn't look willing to play however.

"Get away Sayuri, I don't wanna play with you, I've got stuff to do!"

"But Sasuke I just wanna play tag with you, you never play with me!"

Sasuke Uchiha was, by all accounts, as Uchiha as an Uchiha can be (**A/N: Wow…that sounds kinda racist**). His temper was exceptionally high for a child and his pride had no equal besides his own father. His father's acknowledgement is the only thing he really cares about since the man had voiced his disappointment in Itachi when he learned of his affection for the "Kyuubi Brat". If you weren't his father he didn't care about you, and if you weren't Uchiha then he looked down on you.

His twin sister on the other hand was a whole other story. While she had her own pride in her clan, she did not look down on others. She was strong headed, but still willing to consider the thoughts and opinions of others. She had pitch black long hair which she wore in a ponytail with bangs that hung in her face and was longer on the left side, and matching black eyes. She retained her sharp facial structure from her mother, and wore a light blue hoodie with the Uchiha crest on both shoulders of the sleeves and white shorts with a thick blue belt.

Both children stopped running when they noticed their audience. A smile broke out on Sayuri's face as she ran towards Itachi.

"Big brother you're home", she exclaimed happily. Itachi and her mother were the only ones she could really connect to and be happy with. Itachi smiled down at his sister and rubbed the top of her head. Sasuke begrudgingly followed up behind her, not really caring his brother was here.

"And I've brought someone with me I'd like you to meet. Come on out Azdin", Itachi said in a somewhat cheerful tone. Azdin walked out from behind the older Uchiha with slight trepidation. Upon seeing the blond the twin's reactions varied.

Sasuke had immediately sneered at the boy his father had dubbed the "Demon Brat" and was disgusted that a non-Uchiha, this one especially, was in his home.

Sayuri's reaction greatly differed from her brother as a large blush consumed her face upon making eye contact with the blond. She had never been around boys her own age aside from her brother, let alone non-Uchiha boys. So she was understandably unprepared to the golden haired youth that differed so much from the boys of her clan.

'_Oh wow, are his eyes actually glowing? And those whisker marks are so cute! I wonder if he'd let me rub them…'_

Itachi smirked knowingly at his sister before nudging Azdin to get his attention. "Why don't you introduce yourself?" Azdin gave an affirmative nod.

"My name is Azdin Uzumaki, it's nice to meet you", the blond said as he bowed. He noticed that the girl had taken a hesitant step back.

"Oh umm, I'm Sayuri Uchiha", she said while looking away and mumbling at the end. Sasuke gave out the Uchiha's signature grunt while ignoring his sister's flustered state.

"Sasuke Uchiha", was all he said before walking away. Sayuri noticed and tried to stop him.

"Hey Sasuke wait up, we still have to play tag!" Sasuke stopped and glared at her from over his shoulder.

"I told you I'm not playing with you. You're just as worthless as dad says you are." Sayuri looked downcast as Itachi narrowed his eyes before sighing. Sasuke was far too arrogant for his age and their father was far too encouraging of his behavior. He doubted he and Azdin were going to get along anytime soon especially with the way Azdin narrowed his eyes at his brother's back.

What he didn't know was that Azdin's glare wasn't out of distaste. For the briefest of moments he could swear he saw the silhouette of an older man with black hair and the Uchiha's famous Sharingan behind the Uchiha child and felt a deep sense of disappointment that wasn't his own. Azdin didn't believe in ghosts but he couldn't think of any other explanation yet. He shook his head to clear it and saw that Itachi was trying to consul his sister. He didn't really have any experience with other children but he decided that he should try to cheer her up.

He walked up to her side and took her hand, getting her to look at him in slight shock.

"Hey, you mentioned you wanted to play tag, I could play with you if you want." Sayuri blushed again slightly before looking away.

"Umm, I guess you can play with me if you really want to…" She pressed her palm on his chest and ran off. Azdin looked at where she touched him before staring at where she had ran off to with confusion. Itachi waited for him to start running until realized he wasn't going to.

"Uh, Azdin, something wrong", he asked in concern. The blond looked at him for a moment.

"…I just realized I have no idea what tag is." Itachi stared at him, bewildered. He had almost, ALMOST, laughed himself to death right there but decided to explain the game to the blond instead.

"Well one of the players is "it", meaning they have to chase the people playing and touch them, making them "it", get it?" Azdin nodded and chased after the girl.

* * *

Sayuri ran through the forest that was her backyard with a smile on her face. She was glad to have made a new friend, especially such a handsome one, not that she'd ever admit it. She could tell he was making an effort to make her feel better even though he didn't know her at all. She heard the something ruffling through some brush and hid behind a tree. Azdin had burst from the brush and was looking around to find her. Slowly he neared the tree she hid behind, forcing her to try to sneak away before a twig snapped under her foot. Azdin immediately took after her as she made a break for it and quickly caught up to her.

The blond Jinchuuriki had to admit that he was enjoying this game. He was also happy to see the girl smile so brilliantly, he wanted to protect that smile no matter what.

Unfortunately he hadn't been paying attention and plowed into the girl when she stopped to catch her breath. The kids rolled in the grass and stopped with Sayuri laying on top of Azdin. She propped herself with her hands and shook the cobwebs from her head before she blushed heavily at their rather scandalous position as her face hovered mere inches from hers. The blush intensified when his eyes opened and locked with hers.

"…I believe you are it", he said plainly, breaking Sayuri from her flustered state before she broke out laughing. She could get used to having Azdin around.

* * *

**[Time Skip: 6 Months Later]**

It had been half a year since Azdin had met Itachi's family and things had only looked up since. His Shinobi training had officially commenced with Itachi supervising and assisting when and where he could. Azdin's current physical regiment consisted of 300 push-ups, 200 sit-ups, and 20 laps around Training Ground 7 for speed and strength training. He also punched and kicked one of the wooden pillars to build endurance in his limbs which explained the gauze wrapped around his hands, forearms, feet, and legs, as well as practiced the katas for both the Academy style Taijutsu and Itachi's Interceptor Fist. To train his Chakra Control he had recently started to work on the tree climbing exercise having already mastered leaf balancing. He had also mastered the Transformation and Substitution techniques, two of the three Academy Ninjutsu. Unfortunately the Clone Technique was currently out of his reach as his Chakra Control wasn't good enough to manipulate such a small amount of his absolutely massive Chakra Reserves.

Itachi had also recently taught the blond the Fireball Jutsu to reward his rapid growth in strength and technique. Azdin also got along great with Mikoto who immensely enjoyed teaching the boy to cook since he only knew how to make instant food, though the lessons were rare as he couldn't come over while Fugaku, her husband, was home.

He had also spent some time with Sayuri as well, but again the visits were far and few in between due to her father's distaste for the blond Jinchuuriki.

Sasuke avoided sitting in the same room with Azdin if he could help it, something about breathing the same air as a commoner, though every once in a while when Azdin did see him he would catch a glimpse of the silhouette of that man again, the difference being that since Azdin had unlocked his chakra he had gained something he could only describe as empathic abilities. This meant he could sense the emotions of others and in enough concentration of any given emotion be emotionally or physically affected unless he suppressed it. With this ability he could tell that the silhouette came from inside the child and whatever it was, it was PISSED. He felt like the presence was familiar but couldn't begin to fathom why, though he could feel he had a similar presence inside himself and believed there was a chance they were related somehow.

Currently he was walking by a park when he saw a group of six boys surrounding someone and taunting them. It didn't take him long to decide to intervene as he closed the distance in seconds and stood behind the largest kid who stood at the same height as him but was pudgy, and he obviously wasn't an Akamichi so he would have no idea how to throw that weight around. Azdin tapped his shoulder to get his attention, making the boy turn around and sneer at the blond.

"Care to explain what it is you think you're doing", Azdin asked as he glared at the kid. The rest of the group of bullies had now turned their attention to him at this point as well as the, what Azdin now knew to be, two victims. The first was a girl his age with short pink hair the shade of cherry blossoms and emerald green eyes. She had a few scuff marks on her showing that the boys had gotten physical with her before he had arrived.

The second victim was also female but with short platinum blonde hair a shade lighter than Azdin's and light blue eyes that lacked pupils. She only had a scuff mark on her cheek showing she had just recently gotten involved, coming to the pinkette's rescue only to receive a punch in the face and her rear planted on the ground for her efforts.

The leader of the group smirked arrogantly. "We saw this freak with the huge forehead and decided to pick on her. Why, you got a problem with that, punk?" Azdin's glare grew more intense before he crossed his arms and closed his eyes in thought.

"As long as I hold back as much as I can they shouldn't die from a beating", he muttered to himself before uncrossing his arms and opening his eyes. "I'm afraid if I simply let you walk away you won't learn your lesson, so I'm going to have to beat it into you."

The bully was going to retort but was cut short by Azdin's fist which had buried itself in his stomach, launching him into another boy. One of the other bullies charged at him with his fist cocked back but Azdin sweep kicked the boys feet from under him, making his back collide harshly with the ground. Two boys charged at him from both sides hoping greater numbers would win out. As they were about to collide with Azdin he jumped up high making the duo crash into each other before he came back down and split kicked them both in the face as they separated, knocking them out of the fight soundly. Azdin looked at the last boy who shook in fear as he watched his buddies drop like flies. Azdin walked up to the boy and got right in his face.

"**Boo**", he said simply, making the boy squeak and make a break for it, slowly followed by the rest of the humiliated group.

'_Well that was entertaining. I should shit stomp children more often…something about what I just said doesn't sound right.' _His train of thought was broken when one of the girls spoke up.

"Hey thanks for saving us from those jerks!" He was surprised by the blonde one's volume and enthusiasm before he nodded at her with a smile. "I'm Ino Yamanaka, and this is my best friend, Sakura Haruno."

Sakura poked her head out from behind Ino's back and waved at him meekly. "H-hi…"

"Azdin Uzumaki, are you both alright then", he asked in concern.

Ino nodded, but as Sakura tried to stand her knees gave out on her. Azdin crouched in front of her and examined her bleeding knee before unsealing a roll of gauze from a seal on his wrist that disappeared when it wasn't in use. As he was wrapping her knee, Sakura stared at her rescuer and couldn't help but blush at his handsome features and tenderness while caring for her injuries. Had she been a little bolder she might have stroked his whiskers immediately after she saw them but she contained herself.

Once Azdin had finished wrapping the wound he stood and offered her a hand which she took. She found she still couldn't put any weight on her knee, causing her to lean into Azdin and making him sigh.

"Ino, give Sakura some support for a second." Ino obliged, allowing Azdin to get on one knee with his back turned to Sakura. "Alright Sakura, get on", he said, causing Sakura's blush to return. She climbed onto his back before he stood and began his trek towards the Hospital with Ino on his heels.

* * *

It took the trio only a few minutes when they arrived at the Hospital and walked through the automatic doors. Ino and Sakura had noticed the glares Azdin had been receiving from the villagers on the way here but they seemed to actually get more intense as they entered. Azdin walked up to the desk clerk and requested to get Sakura checked in to which the clerk begrudgingly cooperated.

Soon enough Sakura was in one of the hospital rooms in which she was the only patient. Azdin and Ino were at her bedside, waiting for her parents to arrive since they had been notified. Azdin's arms were crossed as he tried to not focus on the overpowering scent of the hospital that assaulted his sensitive sense of smell.

"Thanks again for everything Azdin", Ino said with a smile. Azdin nodded before the door burst open and what Azdin could only assume was Sakura's mother dashed to her daughter's side.

"Sakura what happened to you?!" It was downhill from there as Sakura's mother noticed Azdin. "You, this is your fault isn't it you demon? If you ever come near my daughter again I'll put you down like the Fourth should have years ago."

The two girls were shocked into silence from the woman's threats. They had never seen her like this and it was terrifying. Azdin simply narrowed his eyes at the woman and started walking out the door when Ino ran after him while calling out to him.

* * *

Ino finally caught Azdin's arm in the hallway out of Sakura and her mother's earshot.

"Azdin wait why did she say that stuff? She's never like that usually, what's going on?" Azdin had stopped walking when she had grabbed him, and as she finished talking he pulled his arm from her grasp.

"You shouldn't hang around me Ino. It'll only cause trouble for you right now." Azdin knew what the villagers were capable of and didn't want Ino to go through what he did, so he decided he needed her to not be seen around him, else the villagers come after her too.

"Well that's just too bad", she said before capturing his arm in hers again and smirking at him playfully. "Cause I happen to like trouble, I'm not going to leave you behind just because things might get tough. We're friends now whether you like it or not."

At this point her expression had become serious before softening as she gave him a hug which he hesitantly returned. What he didn't know is that Ino was grinning victoriously and pumped her right arm.

'_HA! He is totally mine, take that…Forehead!'_

**[Time Skip: 6 Months Later…Again]**

It had now been a whole year since his training had begun and he had made great headway. He had mastered both the Academy Taijutsu and the Interceptor Fist, though he never felt either was quite right for him, but the Interceptor Fist felt a lot closer.

He had mastered Tree Climbing with his Chakra Control training as well as Water Walking, meaning his Chakra Control was refined enough for him to perform the Clone Jutsu. He felt his control could be better though so he had been making his own exercises that would seem somewhat extreme to others. For instance he would balance his whole body on a kunai with his finger and a very precise layer of Chakra on his fingertip.

Itachi had unlocked two of the Jutsu sealed in the scroll Hiruzen had given to him. One was the Shadow Clone Jutsu, which he had recently mastered, though he felt he was missing something about the technique. The other was the Fourth Hokage's legendary Rasengan. Azdin had been excited by this one but had been told he couldn't be seen using it under any circumstance until he was a Genin, so practicing it would have to wait until he was sure he wouldn't be caught.

Recently he had become suspicious of the circumstances of his birth. This was brought on when during his reading on advanced Fuuinjutsu he had discovered the existence of Jinchuuriki, humans with one of the nine Bijuu sealed inside their bodies. The Kages had all long since established an agreement known as the Bijuu Balance, in which all the major villages would have at least one Jinchuuriki, but as far as Azdin knew, Konoha didn't have a Jinchuuriki, or at least he was in the dark about it. Then he had discovered that aside from Kumo, Jinchuuriki were often hated and ridiculed for their status as Jinchuuriki even when it was out of their control, which had made him wonder about his own situation within the village.

At that moment, everything had made sense.

The reason the village hated him, the reason his reserves of Chakra were so massive, his whisker marks, his birthday being on the same day the Fourth had supposedly "slain" the Kyuubi, he was a Jinchuuriki. But he had to make sure, so he had gathered as much information he could about the subject and found that most Jinchuuriki had managed to contact their Bijuu through meditation or a life threatening experience the first time. So Azdin now found himself in his living room, surrounded by a circle of suppression seals should something go wrong, and candles to help him get in the zone and relax.

He could sense an oppressive presence of raw power and focused on it before everything went dark.

* * *

Azdin's eyes shot open to reveal he sat in a white forest. Everywhere he looked he saw trees covered in snow. He stood and turned around to find a long staircase that led to a shrine that stood high against a mountain. He sensed the powerful presence at the top and began his trek up the staircase. When he arrived at the top he saw the main shrine building dug into the mountain a little.

Azdin slid the front door open and entered to find at the other end of the building was a double sliding door. Mist drifted through the bottom of the door as he approached it. He took a deep breath and threw open the doors to see a large cave beyond them. Azdin walked through the cave as the mist drifted over his feet. As he was walking he noticed veins of red and blue crystal with what he assumed was the Kyuubi's and Azdin's Chakra respectively. He soon found himself in front of a large cage with the kanji for "Seal" on a large seal tag in the middle.

"**Well what do we have here, hmm?" **Azdin felt the cave vibrate from the powerful voice. The crystal veins in the walls glowed brighter to reveal the form of the Kyuubi no Yoko laying its head on its forelegs as its nine large, fluffy tails swished behind it lazily in a hypnotic fashion.

"The Kyuubi no Yoko, as I thought." The blond Jinchuuriki didn't seem overly surprised, nor upset about finding a demon sealed in his body.

"**It's about time you came to visit me. Then again I suppose I could've been waiting much longer if you were an idiot or something." **Kyuubi grinned at the human with mirth and the slightest bit of praise dancing in its eyes.

"…" Azdin simply stared at the demon while collecting his thoughts, making the Kyuubi raise an eyebrow.

"**What's the matter kit, kitsune got your tongue?" **That seemed to snap Azdin out of his thoughts as he refocused on the powerful entity before him.

"…You aren't how I thought you would be."

"**What were you expecting?"**

"I had expected you to be furious with me. I am, after all, your Jinchuuriki. My living practically symbolizes your imprisonment."

"**So I should hate you because you're alive?" **Kyuubi had lost its grin at this point when it saw Azdin gain a slightly depressed look.

"I suppose it's what I've come to expect from people. There are exceptions, but they are so very far and few in between." Kyuubi's tails flicked in annoyance as its eyes narrowed. The boy sounded...tired.

"**I can assure that I'm not like any of those idiotic villagers. Anyways you act like I'm the only one who has a reason to be resentful. If I wasn't sealed inside you then the villagers wouldn't treat you the way they do." **Azdin crossed his arms and closed his eyes in thought for a few moments that seemed to drag on for hours. Soon enough he uncrossed his arms and locked eyes with Kyuubi.

"Perhaps, but then I'd be ignorant to their true nature. There is no bliss in ignorance. I have no desire to befriend the people who would so easily forsake me as easily as they did."

"**Maybe, but I was the one who attacked your village. Maybe they wouldn't be like they are if I hadn't."**

"Why _did_ you attack though?" Kyuubi's eyes widened slightly at the question.

"_**Why**_**"**, Kyuubi repeated in bewilderment. Kyuubi hadn't expected its container to ever ask that question, to instead blame it for all the wrongs in his life.

"I just feel like you wouldn't have any reason to attack the village when you did. It all seemed far too random for you to just show up in the village and start decimating it. I feel as though you didn't really have a choice in the matter." Azdin had done his homework on the Kyuubi attack before he came here. The records said that the fox had suddenly appeared in the middle of the village in a blind rage, but now that he had met his tenant, he knew that Kyuubi was far too sensible for that.

Kyuubi stared at the child before grinning. **"Well thanks for that, kit. It means a lot to finally have someone who believes in me, but do you really have no resentment for me at all? In the end I'm the reason the villagers abuse you, the reason you had to live such a horrible life…" **

There was a little bit of pain and guilt in Kyuubi's voice that showed its sympathy for the blond.

"Had I not lived this life I doubt I'd have the drive I do now." Azdin smiled softly at the fox. "I have a dream because of you, my very own ambition", he said softly. The way he said it actually made Kyuubi blush under _its _blood red fur.

"**A-and what is this dream of yours?" **Kyuubi mentally cursed itself for stuttering. It had been so long since anyone had displayed any kind of affection for the fox that it found itself craving Azdin's in any way it can. So to hear that it had provided its container a dream that he seemed to greatly appreciate had an effect on the Bijuu.

"I intend to become the strongest Shinobi to walk the Elemental Nations so that I can protect those I love from all the evils of this world. I will act as their shield and sword until I am dust in the wind." Kyuubi's eyes widened at what had to be the most stupidly selfless person it had ever met, but it couldn't help but feel a touch of pride that its container was so caring.

"**Very well, I shall help you as much as I can, but we'll talk later"**, Kyuubi glared into the darkness of the cave. **"We aren't alone anymore."**

A figure emerged from the darkness and chuckled. The light showed the figure was a man with short, spiky black hair with a white sash around his forehead. He wore a white kimono with a black interior which was adorned with magatama around the collar. The kimono was held closed by a dark-colored sash. Underneath all of this he wore a black full-body suit. The man walked up to Azdin with a smile.

"I don't mean to intrude, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Ashura Otsutsuki, son Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths." Azdin's eyes opened fully at who this man claimed to be. The man before him chuckled at his expression. "I can understand your shock. What am I doing here within your body right? Well the fact is that I'm not actually in your body, but rather I am a part of your soul, so to speak. In other words, you are my reincarnation. You are the inheritor of my will."

Azdin's eyes returned to their half lidded state as he absorbed the knowledge. "And what is this will of yours?"

"That's a good question. I wish to create ultimate peace with the power of love, and unite everyone's hearts towards one goal."

"…Naïve", the blond said plainly, causing Ashura's face to meet the ground. He stood back up and looked scandalized at the blond jinchuuriki.

"How can you say that? You've inherited my will for Kami's sake!"

"I don't remember ever accepting such a will. Love by itself isn't near enough to create your ideal peace. You need the strength to defend your dream and the intellect to move forward. But in the end I'm afraid that your peace simply doesn't exist. Humanity and conflict walk hand in hand. To have your own ideals' and opinions is what it means to be human. Peace is always temporary, whether it comes to an end in a year or millennia, it will end." Azdin considered himself a realist rather than a pessimist as opposed to what others would think. He had read a great deal of history in his short life, and war and conflict had always been nearly constant. He saw through the pretty words they used in the books to hide the ugly truth.

Humans are at their core, flawed in so many different ways.

"So does that mean you think peace is a waste of time?" Ashura really wanted this reincarnation to be the one, but he wasn't like Hashirama at all. Then again Hashirama didn't succeed in creating his peace in the end, so perhaps being different from him was a good thing in some respects.

"The happiness and wellbeing of my precious people are my will, should they wish for a war to end, or it places them in danger, then I will do everything in my power to end it then and there. They are my priority, not a world with humans that would torture a mere child out of fear, hatred, and even sport." Ashura knew he was referring to the civilians of Konoha that had made a pariah of the boy, having watched Azdin live his life through the boy's eyes.

"…You remind me of my brother some aspects. You share his desire for power, but unlike him you have a more than justifiable reason for it."

"You have a brother?" Azdin found himself interested in Ashura's family tree, considering who his father was. The Sage of Six Paths had always fascinated the blond Jinchuuriki to no end. Even though almost nothing was known about the sage, just the fact that he created Ninjutsu, plus what Azdin knew of the legendary Rinnegan, affirmed his place as the strongest of all Shinobi in Azdin's mind.

Someone he truly wished to surpass in every way possible.

"Yes, his name was Indra, and his desire for power stemmed from his desire for our father's acknowledgement. He wasn't truly evil per say, but rather he was… an extremist. Anyways, you've met his reincarnation. You know him as Sasuke Uchiha."

Azdin's eyes widened at that for a moment before returning once again into what was quickly becoming his signature thinking pose by crossing his arms and closing his eyes.

The Uchiha Clan and Senju Clan are both descendants of the Sage of Six Paths, and since Indra was reincarnated within Sasuke Uchiha, this led him to believe that… "Your brother…is he perhaps the original Uchiha?"

Ashura looked impressed by Azdin's deductive skills. "That is correct. Indra is the first Uchiha, and I, the first Senju. You might be interested to know that you and Sasuke aren't our first reincarnations, but rather the second. Our original _hosts_, so to speak, were Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha." Once again Azdin hadn't been prepared for this revelation. Those two legendary Shinobi had an equally legendary rivalry up until Madara had supposedly been slain by Hashirama. To learn that they were connected on a spiritual level since birth was surreal to say the least.

"So why did you reincarnate within an Uzumaki this time?" With what the blond was currently aware of, he saw no reason why he hadn't reincarnated into the Senju Clan again. Then again, the only Senju left was Tsunade Senju of the Sannin, and she was female while Ashura was male. Though Azdin wasn't very sure if gender would affect reincarnation or not… Reincarnation is a difficult subject to grasp, especially considering his age.

'_My head hurts…'_

"Well the only Senju left is a woman-"

'_Ahh…'_

"And the Uzumaki are actually related to the Senju, making them my descendants as well", Azdin nodded in understanding. "Anyways, the reason I had wished to speak with you now is because the game has changed. Madara did not die the way everyone was led to believe, he had only been mortally wounded in his final battle with Hashirama, and had hid away to recover. The game changer is that Madara had infused Hashirama's DNA into his own body, along with my Chakra, bringing him closer to my father's power. He has tipped the scales in an unacceptable way. He cannot be permitted to do as he wishes." Ashura's expression was a dire one that reflected the severity of the situation.

"But isn't he dead, granted it wasn't by the First Hokage's hand, but rather by age?" Madara would be well over a century old at this point in time. He should be nothing but bones at this point.

"Yes, though he had found a way to prolong his life by a great deal, he has certainly passed on, but this is only temporary. Soon he will be resurrected into this world and bring ruin to it. So I've decided we need to tip the scales back in our favor. To do so though, I need you to retrieve something for me."

Azdin nodded before asking, "What do you need?" The response he received mildly shocked him.

"You must retrieve a sample of Sasuke's blood…"

* * *

A few weeks had passed since his fateful meeting with the two powerful beings within his body and soul.

He was currently walking towards the Academy at a slow pace since he had plenty of time to get there. Today would be his first day as a student in the Academy and he couldn't care less. He already had all he needed to graduate easily, but Hiruzen said he wanted the blond to graduate with his age group, so the boy's hands were metaphorically tied. While he walked to his destination his mind drifted to the progress in his training.

Since he had learned of his Mindscape he had used it as somewhat of a training ground for his different Jutsu and techniques as he slept. He was able to start practicing the Rasengan thanks to this, though he hadn't managed to master it quite yet. He also continued to refine his Chakra Control with strenuous Chakra based exercises.

Kyuubi had also begun his training in the use of its Chakra. So far he was only capable of using what he had dubbed "Vermillion Mode". In this mode his hair grew more wild and animalistic, his teeth sharpened and grew, claws replaced his fingernails, his whisker marks grew darker and more defined, and his eyes would become a glowing crimson with slit pupils. This form barely used half a tails worth of Kyuubi's Chakra, but that was all his seven year-old body could handle at this point. Though his body's tolerance for the powerful Chakra would increase rapidly the more he used it.

Since all of his Ninjutsu training was being taken care of in his Mindscape, Azdin started focusing all his training in the real world on Taijutsu and Fuuinjutsu.

With Taijutsu, Azdin mostly focused on increasing his speed and strength with ridiculous physical exercises that would make Might Gai cry to the heavens in the name of youth. He would still practice the katas for the Academy's style of Taijutsu, and the Interceptor Fist on occasion, but had long since mastered them. With the use of his Fuuinjutsu he had created low level Weight Seals that were drawn onto a couple of seal tags that were attached to his shoulders, under his shirt. Already his body was becoming more defined as his muscles developed. Because of the Kyuubi's presence, along with his own regenerative qualities he received from his Uzumaki blood, and Ashura's Chakra, he never had to worry about permanent damage to his muscles from training at such a young age as the strain healed almost as rapidly as his training caused it, which also meant he had nearly endless stamina.

As for his Fuuinjutsu, he had recently finished the Intermediate level book on the subject that Hiruzen had given him and had returned it to receive the Advanced level book from him. He could now make Paper Bombs, Storage Seals, Weight Seals of various levels, Privacy Seals, and many other useful seals.

Another development since his meeting with the Kyuubi and Ashura was the fact that he had completed his mission, and had relieved Sasuke of a bit of his blood. It hadn't been very difficult really as the guards that look after the Uchiha Compound often let their guard down, believing that no one would be foolish enough to go after the powerful clan. Azdin had simply snuck into the Uchiha boy's room and pricked the boy with a senbon after tagging him with a Numbing Seal.

That drop of blood was currently being integrated into his system by Kyuubi, while Ashura integrated Indra's Chakra into his Chakra Network. According to Ashura, there was a good chance that the Sharingan would manifest itself in Azdin before he gained the Rinnegan.

Azdin wasn't quite sure how he felt about stealing someone else's power. On one hand, he might always feel as though he didn't earn the power he wielded. On the other hand, if he was going to be a Shinobi then he should get used to the idea that he would be operating on his own morals rather than worrying about honor.

Azdin decided to think about something else, and his friends were the first thing to pop up.

He had run into Sakura and Ino again not long after their first encounter. Ino had been exstaticed to see Azdin again and had promptly pounced on the boy. Sakura had been much more reserved and simply greeted him happily while struggling to maintain eye contact with him. Apparently after he had left Sakura with her mother, the woman had strongly insisted that Azdin was a monster and that Sakura should avoid him at all costs. Sakura hadn't taken that well and had blown up at her mother, telling her she was wrong about her blond hero and that she had every right to see him if she wanted to.

Sakura's father had shown up afterwards, preventing her mother from doing anything she'd regret.

The three kids had walked to the same park where they had first met and had simply talked for a while to get to know each other. Azdin had told them about his training, but refrained from telling them about the Rasengan, Kyuubi, and Ashura. He had even gone as far as to demonstrate his ability to walk up walls when the girls had asked him to.

Ino had decided to start taking her training more seriously when she realized how hard Azdin worked. She was hoping she could impress him with her own hard work.

Because Sakura was born into a merchant family, she hadn't ever given the prospect of being a Shinobi much thought. She had thought about it for only a moment before she came to the realization that she absolutely loved the idea. The idea of becoming strong alongside Azdin, of learning to shoot fire from her mouth alongside Azdin, of fighting powerful enemies of her village…alongside Azdin. It didn't take her long to come to a decision before she had asked Azdin if he could help her, to which Azdin happily obliged. While most of her training would be supervised by Inoichi with Ino, Azdin would give her helpful advice here and there. From what she had been telling him she was progressing well, as was Ino.

During one of Azdin's training sessions with Itachi and Sayuri, the Uchiha girl had finally mastered the Fireball Jutsu and had celebrated by nearly killing Azdin when she had wrapped her arms around his neck. Of course when she had realized what she was doing she had immediately removed herself from him and mumbled something about him to not get the wrong idea while sporting a large blush. They got along great but Sayuri seemed really nervous around him which confused him since she didn't seem to have this problem with anybody else. In fact she almost seemed cocky around other people.

Itachi seemed off during the session though, as if his mind was elsewhere entirely. When Azdin had asked him about it he only said he had a big mission coming up and that the blond had nothing to worry about, which only served to make him worry more.

Azdin was broken from his train of thought when he noticed a familiar group of bullies surrounding and taunting a small wolf cub that had white fur and crimson eyes.

It was then that Azdin became aware of his overprotectiveness towards all things cute and innocent…not that he'd ever admit to it.

Azdin released a wave of Killing Intent at the group, causing them all freeze in terror. Azdin walked towards them as the bullies turned toward him slowly. Their eyes widened in even more fear when they realized who it was.

"And here I thought I had taught you all a lesson. What were you thinking harassing a defenseless creature", the angry blond said lowly. Azdin cracked his knuckles before saying, "looks like you all need another hands-on lesson on common decency."

One of the kids turned around to make a break for it, but found that Azdin was now in front of him. The kid could only blink before Azdin spun and kicked the boy in the stomach, sending him flying into another boy that was behind him. Azdin then dashed at another boy and ducked under an uncoordinated punch before driving his knee into the kid's chin. One of the boys ran up behind him to grab the blond but received an elbow in his face for his efforts, sending him to the ground.

The leader looked at his fallen comrades, then at Azdin, then at his still standing friend, and pushed him at Azdin. "Don't just stand there, beat him up!"

Azdin only took a step towards the boy before the kid made a break for it, bringing a smirk to Azdin's face.

"Well look who just ran out of friends to save his ass." Azdin walked up to the leader until he was right in his face. "Now I'm only going to say this once. **KNOW YOUR PLACE**!" **(A/N: I hope someone gets the reference.) **As he said that, the blond brought his fist back and drove it into the leader's stomach, causing him to tumble along the ground a few meters away. He didn't get back up as he had effectively been knocked out.

The wolf cub, seeing that Azdin had taken care of its antagonists, trotted up to him and wagged its tail while looking up at the blond. Azdin smiled down at the pup and crouched down to scratch its head, which it seemed to enjoy a great deal.

Azdin's fun was cut short when a mob of adults ran towards the blond, screaming profanities at him. Azdin picked up the pup and dashed towards the Training Grounds that Itachi always takes him to for training, easily losing the mob of civilians with his superior speed.

* * *

Azdin burst through some bushes with the pup still tucked safely under his arm. He finally stopped in the center of a clearing when he couldn't sense the angry mob's ill intent anymore. He placed the pup on the ground and crouched down as it stared at him.

"You should probably get out of here. Someone here might get the idea to make a hat out of you if you hang around too long." The pup didn't seem too worried as its tail just kept wagging happily. Azdin wasn't sure what to do so he simply stood and told the pup it should head home. As he turned to leave he missed the gleam in its eyes as it slapped the ground with its forepaws, making a Reverse Summoning Seal to appear under it as well as Azdin.

Azdin looked down immediately as the seal glowed. His eyes went wide as he shouted in a panic. "WHAT THE FUC-", was all he could get out before he and the pup disappeared in a puff of smoke.

* * *

"-K?!" Azdin looked around cautiously and found himself in forest that he didn't recognize, not that he was surprised by that. He had recognized the seal that had taken him hear in the few seconds he had actually seen it. A perk of being a seal master in training is being able to identify a seal and its purpose in an instant. It also helped that everything to do with Summoning Seals was covered in the Intermediate level of Fuuinjutsu.

Considering that the seal in question had been a Reverse Summoning Seal, Azdin could only assume he had been brought to the Summoning Realm, which was a whole separate dimension. So he would be hard pressed in finding his village without the help of this pup that was apparently a Summoning Beast, or the other locals of this place.

"Care to tell me why I'm here?" His question was directed at the pup, but he only got a happy glance before it started running towards a large shrine in the distance that was low to the ground, unlike the one in his mindscape. Deciding that he had no alternative, the blond ran after the pup.

* * *

After a few minutes of running, the duo had arrived at the shrine. Azdin soon realized they weren't alone as a whole pack of wolves, varying in size, shape, and color, surrounded the two. Azdin was on guard and ready to escape at any moment in case the locals got hungry. He didn't even relax when a man that seemed human at first glance walked through the crowd of wolves as they made a path for him.

He was a tall, skinny man with long black hair, blood red eyes, elongated canines, claws instead of fingernails, a long black fluffy tail, and two black wolf ears on the top of his head with white tips like his tail. His clothes consisted of a white yukata with a red obi, and a black robe with white floral designs on the sleeves. He also had wooden sandal on his clawed feet.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, honored guest. I am Kurosu, and I am the Alpha of the Demon Wolf Clan."

'_Wait…what?' _The only reason Azdin hadn't started freaking out on the outside was because he had a demon sealed inside him. Still he had found the revelation shocking since a Summoning Contract with a Demon…anything was unheard of.

"I'm sorry Kurosu-san, but did you say _Demon_ Wolf Clan?"

Kurosu chuckled before he replied. "Indeed I did, and you are the first human to set foot in our land."

"But why have I been brought here", Azdin asked in confusion. Kurosu's attention seemed to fall on the pup sitting next to Azdin.

"It would seem my daughter believes you are worthy of being our clan's first summoner." The pup trotted up to the man and started yipping at him excitedly. The man seemed to understand who Azdin now assumed was his daughter as he would nod here and there in between yips. Finally he looked back up at Azdin and smiled.

"Having now heard what happened I can't help but agree with her. If you would have us, I'd like for you to be the first summoner of the Demon Wolf Clan." Kurosu was bowing lightly towards Azdin at this point.

"Isn't there some form of trial I have to complete?" It was a relatively well known fact that all summoners have had to complete a test or trial given to them by the leader of the Summoning Clan. So it was understandable that he was confused by the lack of said test.

Kurosu smiled humorously at the boy.

"I'd say you've already completed your trial, child. You have shown your compassion towards the innocent. We can make you very strong, but we just need to know the strength we give you is not misused. Now that the kindness in your heart is apparent, we feel secure in giving you the strength and knowledge to achieve your dreams." Azdin could only scratch the back of his head in embarrassment at the praise he was receiving. "Speaking of which, I feel you should know that should you choose to sign our contract, then you will have to remain here with us for a few years to train you and integrate you into our pack. Kinship is important here, and for us to properly train you we need you to fully understand our ways."

That was a lot to take in for Azdin. By signing their contract, he would be abandoning his precious people for years, leaving them vulnerable without their shield.

"How many years are we talking?" Azdin wanted any info he could get before coming to a decision.

"I'd say about five years should be enough", said Kurosu while he stroked his chin thoughtfully.

'_Sakura, Ino, and Sayuri would still be in the Academy by then, so they should be alright until I come back…' _

"In that case, I'd be honored to sign your Summoning Contract." Azdin bowed towards the Alpha in respect. Kurosu nodded happily before a large scroll puffed into existence in his hands. He unrolled it on the ground and nodded at Azdin to tell him to come closer.

"You need only sign your name in blood and leave your print", he instructed as Azdin crouched in front of him. The blond nodded in understanding before biting his thumb to draw blood and do as he was told. When Kurosu was satisfied with his signature he smiled.

"Welcome to the Demon Wolf Clan."

* * *

**A/N: So basically I'm rebooting my first story. I might just erase my first attempt, but I'm not sure yet.**

**Anyways, this chapter is about ten thousand words, and I'm hoping to make that my average. I thought this one was gonna be a bit longer only because I wanted to get most of my OC's character development out of the way in the first chapter with the occasional flashback here and there throughout the story.**

**I'd like to hear some criticism on this one so I can see where to go from here. I only want this story to get better as time goes on so be honest, just try not to bust my balls too much. Azdin is going to primarily look like Cloud from FFVII Advent Children, but with a few differences. **

**I'd like to point out that I loathe the color orange, so I'm getting rid of it where I can. For instance, Kyuubi's fur is a crimson red, not orange. **

**Also I keep up with the manga so my story is completely up to date and will stick to the Canon in a way. By that I mean that I won't be making things up like abilities but rather exploiting what the show dictates as possible, if that makes any sense, it might just sound better in my head.**

**Please Rate and Review! Also, here is Azdin's harem so far, I might change my mind later.**

**Harem:**

**Sakura**

**Ino**

**Sayuri**

**Fem!Kyuubi**

**Karin**

**Ryuuzetsu (Blood Prison)**

**Tayuya (Maybe)**

**Kushina (Maybe)**

**Setsuko (OC)**

**Katsumi (OC)**

**Bullet (From BlazBlue) **


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